For some people, Mother’s Day is not a straightforward holiday. Not everyone has a mother to celebrate or a child to celebrate with them. The residents at the Livingston St. Residence take a different approach, choosing to acknowledge Mother’s Day by giving back to the community.
That weekend, flowerpots were filled and decorated with brightly colored impatiens destined for Somerset Garden Senior Living by Nijah White, Holly Hines, Lauren Bernstein, Carmen Luisa Diaz, Sandra Casado, and Yonah Piedagnel, with the assistance of Manager Stephanie, Assistant Manager Barbara Cipriano and Direct Support Professionals Maia Caddle-Hinton, Lustina Simpson, Anna Lamy, and Sophia McCormack.
They decorated the flowerpots with temporary tattoos of butterflies, flowers, and hearts. Barbara then sprayed them with varnish to set the design. While filling the pots, the ladies shared jokes, old stories, and lots of laughter.
They delivered the first half of the flowers during the nursing homes’ second breakfast and left the second batch on the tables for the remaining residents to have during their first lunch. Luisa and Sandra felt good seeing the residents smile as they received their special gifts.
“I want to make them happy,” said Luisa.
In total, Barbara purchased over 200 flowers, Forty-two were gifted to nursing home residents and Holly kept one for her mom as she planned to spend Mother’s Day with her. The rest will be used to decorate the front of their home.
“Usually Luisa, Nijah and I are the ones doing the work while Lauren and Sandra stand by giving instructions,” joked Barbara.
Gardening has been a staple for the residents of this house. It’s an activity they started around the 2020 pandemic to pass the time, beautify their backyard, and bond while focusing on the positive.
Together, they cleared out the debris of old leaves, freeing up space for Barbara and Luisa to build planters that stand about waist high. Now every year they can grow vegetables like corn, carrots, tomatoes, and leafy greens.
With the help of the agency’s landscapers, they planted a garden of perennials on the northeast side of the home, in front of the fenced-off backyard. The perennial garden and the terrace bench next to it were installed in the memory of meaningful people they lost during the pandemic, on it a small plaque reads “In Living Memory of our Special Ladies Kimmy, Renee, and Nurse Donna.”
As the years go by and the coneflowers and double butter daisies return again and again, the residents and staff can think back on everything they’ve been through together and how much they’ve overcome.
Living in a supported residential setting is unconventional, but having staff that value the importance of engaging in activities that create meaningful shared experiences can make all the difference.